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Logo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A logo (abbreviation of logotype,[4] from Greek: λόγοςlogos “word” and τύπος typos “imprint”) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name it represents as in a wordmark.

And, below are a few logos which I designed for clients who had very specific ideas about what they envisioned:

Matty just received his 100th 5 star review from YELP – go team!!!

Nick has a very clear view of how to craft an image for his brand!!!
Mike’s patent approval preceded his vision for this logo!!!

It’s not that hard to figure out which of the above designs are a tad more complex; yet, each conveys the exact message intended.

Jon & Michele Valee asked me to design packaging for their award-winning rum cakes. We worked really hard to get the final containers to reflect their brand vision…it’s pretty cool how the small, medium & large cakes stack together to mimic the form of a lighthouse. The design also won an award!

And, when an upscale department store chain in Bermuda wanted to feature their cakes for tourist gifts, they asked me to infuse the design with an island vibe, making sure the sand was “pink.” This design is fairly complicated. The final packages fold up just like the image above.

mine is Japanese and we are very fortunate in Connecticut to have several, wonderful Japanese restaurants close-by. It was fun to photograph and design the menu for MOMO in Orange, CT. Jasmine & Jeffrey asked me to incorporate images into their menu redesign (ten pages). MOMO means peach in Japanese and the white characters are literal.

For the past few years, I have been concentrating on Marketing & Design for several clients in the food service industry.

By providing comprehensive marketing support across all channels for Lighthouse Rum Cakes and Gelato Giuliana, as well as other clients,I have developed a broad range of experience and skills, not limited to award-winning graphic design and photography.

These efforts are supported by continued study in Business Administration and front/back end marketing communications protocols. My business and design philosophy provides unconditional support and availability.

I have also developed marketing communications for educational & clients in the retail and service industries. It is particularly gratifying to have won several design and photography awards.

Below are several more examples of my work in various sectors:

Because I manage social media for several clients, personally, I never, ever post, comment or share anything controversial which could potentially conflict with my client’s philosophy. After careful deliberation, I decided that most visitors to this post would be here to see my range and ability to take risks for a client w/their permission. So here u have it – the real designer inside takes a stand.

I was asked to use type only for this design to illustrate Open Type and it is, perhaps, my all-time favorite piece.

This university brochure design is very stylized – yet quite simple with references to grids & vectors.

One always hears about composition and the rule of thirds. It’s all about composition, focus & lighting for photographers & designers. And, I decided to do an exercise and put a rule of thirds grid over the work of a few famous artists. Sure enough – they followed the rule of thirds.

The work of Lewis Hine are inspiring – his photo, above, speaks thousands of words, follows the rule of thirds, and reminds me to never be satisfied & to keep trying.

Georges de La Tour also inspires me – his painting, below, captures light and emotion in a style which instinctively informs mine.

The macro R1C1 flash set up, part of the Nikon Creative Lighting System, provides the perfect portable solution to make detailed macro photos shine. This macro lighting unit is a great tool for precise food & botanical photography. The twin flash heads dramatically light culinary ingredients and complex floral details.

As a professional photographer, one must be very concerned about light. The variable are numerous and complex. It’s wonderful to be able to develop a “lighting style” that is appealing and recognizable.

I prefer photos to be in sharp focus which requires a small f stop – f11 or higher. This small opening, combined with the length of the lens and subject to camera distance dramatically reduces the available light so it makes sense for me to add light – not bump up the iso too high. These strobes are great – literally small light boxes, attached to a ring which sits at the end of the lens. The lighting style is very contoured. A wireless transmitter allows me to adjust the individual output.

People are typically curious abut this unit which adds a bit of substance to my camera’s footprint. I really enjoy taking the time to explain how this system works!!! From what I understand, the unit was originally developed for dental photography. I always shoot with my 105mm Nikon micro. If, for example, I am using the 85mm Nikon portrait lens, the R1C1 does not provide enough light. We are talking close.

Currently there is a Chihuly exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens. Most of the photos I’ve noticed on NYBG’s FLICKR Group provide a broader point of view. The photos above are fragraments of a blade of green glass from the Chihuly show.

A while back I read a very interesting blog post from the New York Botanical Gardens. The author talked about a moss/fern spore that was used to make flash powder for view cameras in “the days of old.” Such an amazing connection between plants and photography.

I am consolidating my marketing, design & photography blogs here. This is from a post that is almost ten years old and I was curious to see how much of that discussion is still relevant today. You can decide!!! Years ago, I was invited to discuss entrepreneurship with an MBA class at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven, Connecticut. While preparing my presentation for the class, I compiled a list of resources for the students and all the “do it yourself” entrepreneurs out there:

Pioneers who innovate must have a clear vision of their venture, be able to manage cash creatively or “bootstrap”, and have persuasive ability. Inspiration below is still a click away from many of the links above:

Moore’s law defines a trend in the computing hardware industry. Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel described the exponential increase in the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit – the amount doubled approximately every two years and continues to do so. Eventually nano technologies may halt this trend but for now we are still surrounded by technological innovation growing at an accelerated pace.

NPR introduced and still broadcasts a segment of All Things Considered called All Tech Considered. Yesterday, they discussed cellular phone applications. The intro made this point…by the time you can understand and deploy technology labeled with a new ACRONYM…the technology has already changed…maybe not quite that fast but you get the picture. Processing speed, memory capacity, and even the number of pixels in digital cameras comply with Moore’s Law and technology innovation still grows at an accelerated pace. I, of course, say “make the wave don’t wait for it.”

Innovation | Adaptation | Marketing

I prefer having the latest and best tools in an easy to access interface and find it inefficient to hop from website to website to website to get all the necessary actionable insights when developing the best strategy for a client. Yet, sometimes you simply must switch lenses. Workflow is very important. In Photography, it is also important to view the same information from varying perspectives. It is easy to create new perspectives – just change lenses- shift your position and a good camera will reward you with a compelling picture.

Internet Marketing should work the same way. Selecting the “right” internet marketing agnecy, one that instinctively and intentionally embraces Moore’s Law can put your organization at the start of the curve, not at the end. Even if innovation is not a core component of your marketing strategy, entrusting your internet marketing campaign to a Moore’s Law compliant firm makes good business sense.

Jon & Michele Vallee are perfect clients…fun, smart & accessible. They asked me to design a box for their award-winning rum cakes. We worked hard together to create beautiful packaging for the small, medium and large cakes. I love the way the boxes stack together to form “a lighthouse”. Everything about this shouts “award winner”!

This tower is tops – a small, medium and large cake in choice of flavors, attractively gift boxed.

Keystone Paper and Box Company in Windsor CT, produced the box and wished to enter the design in a national contest. The box design placed in the competition.

Recently, I had the opportunity to present a talk to the North Haven Camera Club. Everyone was very nice and interested in what I had to say. Here are a few takeaways from my talk:

Artists who are Sources of Inspiration:

David duChemin: vision moves you to pick up camera, determines what you look at, determines what you see, determines how/why you shoot, finding & expressing vision is a journey. Take time to reflect: list what you love in general, then be specific, then more specific & drill down deep …look at your photos do they reflect your vision?